This exhibition is currently showing at Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens until 1 August 2026.
It started as a question in 2019 from an enquiring child about where were all the women and girls in the history and literature relating to this North East City. It initiated research at a community level with small scale local exhibitions and a number of podcasts that has culminated in the development of thirty large scale portraits by illustrator Kathryn Robertson. Alongside these images of women past and present are details about their pioneering contributions to, for example, medicine, education, science, literature and art penned by writer Jessica Andrews whose texts also include accounts of those women who more recently have reached the pinnacle in their respective fields such as sport, journalism, activism and music.
Apart from these impressive pieces, other ‘voices’ have been included in this exhibition from a number of local groups to further the theme of rebel/strong women: The Older Women Artists Collective; the Pink-Collar Gallery, Southwick REACH and research into women workers at the Pyrex factory by photographer Sophie Piper.
Rebel Women helps to provide inspirational role models for future generations. This is the Museum’s final exhibition before closing later this year for a major refurbishment.
Kath Price (Dr)
Friends of the Hatton 